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Dufur School Board hires Kristen Whitley as superintendent, waives probationary rule
Summary
The Dufur School District board voted Feb. 3 to hire Kristen Whitley as superintendent effective July 1, 2025, approving a three‑year contract and temporarily suspending a district probationary‑contract policy to permit the term length.
The Dufur School District board voted unanimously Feb. 3 to hire Kristen Whitley as the district's next superintendent, approving a three‑year contract that begins July 1, 2025. The board first voted to suspend the districtpolicythat normally requires a one‑year probationary term for newly hired superintendents; the suspension applied only to this hire and was described by a board member as necessary to allow the three‑year contract under negotiation.
Chair introduced the contract in open session and said the board had screened 12 applicants, narrowed the field to two finalists and completed negotiations with Whitley. Whitley, who currently serves as the district principal, said she was "honored to step into the role of superintendent" and pledged to lead with "an open heart" while grounding decisions in best practices. The board directed staff to issue a press release the following morning and to begin transition work for her July 1 start date.
